SEL: Managing Stress and Anxiety
Recognizing stress signals and practicing healthy coping skills
SEL: Managing Stress and Anxiety
Recognizing stress signals and practicing healthy coping skills
SEL - Grade 6-8
- 1
List three physical signs that someone might be feeling stressed or anxious.
Think about what can happen in your body before a test, performance, game, or difficult conversation.
Three physical signs of stress or anxiety can include a racing heartbeat, tense muscles, stomachaches, headaches, sweating, or feeling shaky. - 2
Read the situation: Jordan has a big science presentation tomorrow and keeps thinking, "I am going to mess up." Identify the stressor and one anxious thought Jordan is having.
The stressor is the science presentation tomorrow. The anxious thought is that Jordan believes they are going to mess up. - 3
Use the stress thermometer to rate this situation from 1 to 5: You forgot your homework at home, and class starts in two minutes. Explain your rating.
A 1 means calm, and a 5 means very intense stress.
A reasonable rating might be 3 or 4 because forgetting homework can feel stressful, but it is usually a problem that can be explained and solved with a plan. - 4
Describe one healthy way to calm your body when you notice stress building.
Choose a strategy that is safe, respectful, and does not harm yourself or others.
One healthy way to calm the body is to take slow deep breaths, relax the shoulders, and give the body a minute to settle before responding. - 5
Practice box breathing. Write the four steps in order.
The four steps are breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, breathe out for 4 counts, and hold for 4 counts before repeating. - 6
Circle of control: Write one thing a student can control during a stressful group project and one thing a student cannot control.
Focus on actions, choices, and words for the control part.
A student can control their effort, communication, and attitude. A student cannot control every choice or mood of their group members. - 7
Change this unhelpful thought into a more balanced thought: "If I make one mistake, everyone will think I am terrible at this."
A more balanced thought is, "One mistake does not define me, and most people understand that everyone makes mistakes while learning." - 8
Name two coping strategies that can help with test anxiety before a test begins.
Think about strategies that help both preparation and calmness.
Two coping strategies for test anxiety are reviewing a study plan ahead of time and using slow breathing or positive self-talk right before the test begins. - 9
Read the situation: Maya feels overwhelmed because she has homework, soccer practice, and chores today. Write a simple plan with two steps she could take.
Maya could first list her tasks in order of importance. Then she could choose one task to start, set a short timer, and ask for help if the plan still feels too full. - 10
Use the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding strategy. Fill in what a person should notice for each number.
Grounding uses the senses to bring attention back to the present moment.
A person should notice 5 things they can see, 4 things they can feel, 3 things they can hear, 2 things they can smell, and 1 thing they can taste or one slow breath. - 11
Explain why sleep, food, movement, and water can affect stress and anxiety.
Sleep, food, movement, and water affect stress and anxiety because the brain and body need energy and rest to think clearly, manage emotions, and handle challenges. - 12
Write one respectful sentence a student could say to ask an adult for help with stress.
The sentence should clearly name the feeling and ask for support.
A respectful sentence could be, "I have been feeling really stressed, and I would like help making a plan to handle it." - 13
Look at the thought-feeling-action pattern. For this thought, write a possible feeling and a healthy action: "I studied, and I can try my best."
A possible feeling is calmer or more confident. A healthy action is to begin the test, read each question carefully, and use a coping strategy if stress rises. - 14
Choose one boundary that could reduce stress from phones, games, or social media. Explain how it could help.
A boundary is a limit that protects your time, attention, or well-being.
One helpful boundary is putting the phone away during homework or before bedtime. This can reduce distractions and make it easier to focus or sleep. - 15
Write a personal stress plan with three parts: one warning sign, one coping strategy, and one trusted person or place for support.
A strong plan names a warning sign such as tense shoulders, a coping strategy such as box breathing, and a trusted support such as a counselor, teacher, family member, or school office.